The present disclosure is related to a pixel circuit that drives a self-emitting device such as an organic EL (ElectroLuminescence) device for example. Further, the present disclosure is related to a display panel, a display unit, and an electronic system that include the above-described pixel circuit.
In recent years, in the field of a display unit for performing an image display, a display unit using a current drive type optical device the luminescence of which varies depending on a value of a flowing current, such as an organic EL device as a pixel light-emitting device has been developed and the commercialization thereof has been advanced (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-083272). Unlike a liquid crystal device and the like, an organic EL device is a self-emitting device. Therefore, a display unit using an organic EL device (organic EL display unit) eliminates the need for a light source (backlight), achieving higher image visibility, lower power consumption, and higher device response speed as compared with a liquid crystal display unit involving a light source.
As with a liquid crystal display unit, an organic EL display unit has a simple (passive) matrix method and an active matrix method as a drive method thereof. The former is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to achieve a large-sized and high-definition display unit in spite of a simple structure. Consequently, at present, the active matrix method has been actively developed. This method controls a current flowing through a light-emitting device arranged for each pixel using an active circuit provided for each light-emitting device.